Maple Leafs  2    Rangers  7

Recap: NY Rangers vs. Toronto

Sports Network | October 12, 2009

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Dan Girardi and Sean Avery both scored twice to lead the New York Rangers in a 7-2 rout of the winless Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden.

Wade Redden added a goal and two assists for the Rangers, who have recorded five straight wins for the first time since opening last season with five consecutive triumphs. Marian Gaborik had a goal and a helper, while Ryan Callahan also lit the lamp. Henrik Lundqvist turned away 27-of-29 shots in the win.

Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jason Blake scored for Toronto, which has dropped each of its first five games this season. Vesa Toskala was victimized for seven goals on the 33 shots he faced.

"We need a solid 60 minutes from everybody," said Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle. "It's not easy right now...we have to keep our heads. We can't feel sorry for ourselves."

The Rangers got on the board first. On a five-on-three, Brandon Dubinsky took a shot from the top of the right circle but it was saved. The rebound, though, caromed in front of the net and Callahan, stationed to the left of the net, managed to stuff it in just 2:34 into the contest.

About 5 1/2 minutes later, Redden had a snap shot that beat Toskala to make it 2-0. Ponikarovsky, though, lit the lamp with 45 seconds left in the first period to close it to one goal at the first intermission.

Girardi's wrister 26 seconds into the second period made it 3-1.

Toronto again closed it to one goal on a power play late in the second stanza. Ian White assisted on Blake's wrister with just 2:39 left prior to the third finishing.

Avery and Gaborik had tallies 1:17 apart early in the third period to give the home team a 5-2 advantage.

Girardi's slap shot at the 13:41 mark and Avery's second goal with just under two minutes left accounted for the final margin.

"They were a really quick team, in the third period I thought we really got the offense going," said Girardi.

Monday marked the middle portion of a three-game homestand for the Rangers, who have an unbeaten 3-0 mark in the Big Apple this year and have captured seven straight as the host going back to last season. They will host the Kings on Wednesday...Toronto is 0-4-1 on the year and has lost four straight in regulation after dropping an overtime decision against Montreal on the opening night of the season...Beginning with Monday's test, Toronto will close out October with six of its eight games on the road. Toronto was just 18-19-4 as the visiting team in 2008-09...Toskala fell to 5-1-2 with a tie in nine lifetime against the Blueshirts...The Leafs took three of four from New York in 2008-09 and have won five of nine overall in the series. The clubs had split the last eight encounters in Manhattan coming in.